BANGKOK: A group which led a street campaign against Thailand's now ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said on Thursday it would suspend protests but resume if coup leaders failed to form a civilian government.
Following Tuesday's bloodless putsch against Thaksin, the Peoples Alliance for Democracy (PAD) said coup leaders would face public opposition if they failed to initiate reforms.
"We will suspend our campaign for now, but if the situation doesn't get better, we will come together again to help restore democracy," PAD spokesman Suriyasai Katasila said.
"We will maintain a close watch on those who led the coup to make sure they do what they have promised and give power back to the people," he added.
"If this affects freedom of the press and the public, we will oppose this group," he said of the coup.
Earlier this year, the PAD brought tens of thousands of people onto Bangkok streets to demand Thaksin's resignation, accusing him of corruption and abuse of power.
Thaksin denied the charges, but called elections three years early to counter the protests.
However, the April 2 poll result was annulled due to an opposition boycott, leaving Thailand with no functioning parliament and a caretaker government unable to make key decisions.
Thaksin was toppled by a military coup led by army chief Sonthi Boonratatglin, who promised to install a civilian prime minister within two weeks.
Suriyasai also said the PAD would appeal to the new government to form an independent committee to investigate allegations of corruption against Thaksin.
